Ratchet tool



Oct. 2, 1962 w. L. WRIGLEY 3,056,442

RATCHET TOOL Filed Dec. -16, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Waller L. Wrigley 1NVEN TOR.

Oct. 2, 1962 w. L. WRIGLEY 3,056,442

RATCHET TOOL Filed Dec. 16, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

Waller L. Wrigley BY A yway 5% mm vQ m8 mQ 3,056,442 RATCHET TOOL WalterL. Wrigley, 124 S. Pine, Palatine, Ill. Filed Dec. 26, 1958, Ser. No.780,792 3 Claims. (Cl. 14-5-75) This invention relates to tools and moreparticularly to ratchet tools which are principally useful in operatingAllen keys, screwdriver shanks, taps and other small tools.

The invention is embodied in a ratchet tool handle designed for ease ofuse and which is light and has considerable strength to seat and unseatscrews, nuts and the like and is capable of rotating taps in manymetals.

A further object of the invention is to provide a versatile tool whichis very easy to change from one use to another and which is dependableand durable, accommodating many sizes of keys, taps, screwdriver shanks,etc.

One of the big disadvantages in having many hand tools such as Allenkeys, screwdrivers, taps, etc. is that it requires considerable storagespace and several different sizes of drivers, tap holders, etc. Thistool eliminates these many awkward and long handled drivers andT-wrenches with handles that are a disadvantage to workers. Adisadvantage in production tools on the market today, in the insert typeof wrenches that have quick change methods, is that they are onlydesigned for special types of tools such as sockets, slotted or Phillipsbits, etc. But most are still of the solid type handles, that is, in thescrewdriver class and the tap wrench class which invariably has aT-shaped handle. Most screwdrivers and wrench handles have no means forchanging to different tools even though there are available tool handleswhich accommodate different sizes of tools of one class. Some availabletools have additional liners attached on the handle to assist insteadying them while driving screws and taps. This makes it verydifficult to reach into small places where, for instance, only a quarterof a turn is needed.

An object of this invention is to provide a combination ratchet toolhandle which will ratchet in either direction and will eliminate theseparate use of numerous tools. In a typical embodiment of the inventiona center is provided at one end of the handle for use in a lathe ordrill press so that it may be aligned. There is a hole for receiving ahandle attachment, this being especially useful in tapping work.Further, additional leverage is provided for either tightening orloosening screws or nuts that are locked tight.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ratchet type handlewhich is slender, occupying a minimum of space, the handle having auniquet ratchet lock arrangement and parts organization so that thehandle is strong, easily used and capable of being switched over fromclockwise to counter-clockwise drive with one hand while using the tool.

The tool handle is capable of accommodating numerous types of shanks,keys, etc. that are very quickly attached and detached and driven by anovel drive assembly built in the handle.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a tool handle constructed inaccordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of an enlarged scale and taken on the line2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE1;

States Patent 3,056,442 Patented Get. 2, 1952 ice FIGURE 4 is asectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view of a part of the body of the tool;

FIGURE 7 is a top view of the part in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a front view of the part in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view of the ratchet shaft adapted to fit intothe part of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the tool holder in theratchet tool handle; and,

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of the ratchet spring.

In the accompanying drawings there is a ratchet tool handle 10 having aknurled surface handle part 12 preferably of cylindrical cross-section,although this may be altered. There is a center 14 at one end of thehandle part 12, and a transverse opening 16 intermediate the ends of thehandle part 12 and through which a rod may be passed in order to obtainadditional leverage in using the tool handle.

Bore 20 and counterbore 22 are in the end of handle part 12 opposite tothe .end which has opening 14. Double thrust bearing 24, preferably madeof ball bearings and races, is located in counterbore 22. Ratchet shaft26 has a reduced part 28 in bore 20 and an enlarged part 30 which is inpart located in counterbore 22 and which protrudes beyond the innerextremity of handle part 12 and its counterbore 22. Longitudinal ratchetslots 32 are in part 36 of ratchet shaft 26 and these are engaged by thedogs 34 or 36 of ratchet pawl 38 (FIGURE 4). Shouldered rivet 40, pin orthe like is attached in an opening 42 in a face 44 of part 46. The part46 (FIG- URES 38) constitutes a portion of the ratchet unit includingpawl 38 and is made as a collar with a reduced cylindrical bearing 48 atone end seated in counterbore 22. Locating and centering pins 50 and 52are attached to part 46 and protrude from face 54 of part 46, face 54being parallel to face 44 but non-coplanar, there being a land 56therebetween. Due to this shape of one surface of part 46, there is acavity 58 between face 44 and surface 66 of nose or section 62.

The nose unit has a central passage 64 in alignment with the centralpassage 66 of part 46. The nose unit is I made of a body which has aforward end and a cylindrical skirt 68 provided with a slot 70 inregistry with cavity 53 (FIGURE 2).

Ratchet spring 72 (FIGURE 11) is made of flat stock having a fiat end 74and a flat end 76 at right angles to each other and connected by theright angular twisted portion 78 near the junction of ends 74 and 76.End 76 is located in the flat opening 79 (FIGURE 4) formed in pawl 38 onone side of the pawl pivot axis established by pin 40. The opposite sideof the same aXis has dogs 34 and 36. End 74 of spring 72 is disposed ina slot 80 formed in collar 82. The collar 82 is used to shift the pawl38 for clockwise or counter-clockwise drive, and it is made of a collarbody 84 having a cylindrical skirt 86. Slot 80 is formed in slot 86, andthe collar body has an annular groove 88 in which retainer ring 90 islocated. The retainer ring is also located in a cylindrical groove 22formed in handle part 12 thereby permitting the knurled collar to beshifted clockwis or counter-clockwise in order to shift the pawl to theclockwise or counterclockwise drive positions, but preventing the collarfrom sliding axially on handle part 12. There is a shoulder 94 betweenskirt 86 and body 84, and a shoulder 96 on the inner extremity of handlepart 12. Shoulders 94 and 96 are in contact with each other andcooperate with retainer ring 90 to maintain the collar 82 on handle part12 against sliding movement in a direction parallel to the longitudinalaxis of handle part 12. It is now evident that when the collar 82 irotated slightly in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction,the pawl 38 is deflected about its pivot by the drive connectionestablished between these parts with spring 72. A spring detent 98(FIGURE 3) is carried by collar 82 and is engaged within depressions 100and 102, respectively, formed in the enlarged extremity of handle part12 to retain the collar in the positions at which the pawl 38 is inengagement with shaft 30 for the counter-clockwise and clockwise drivedirections, respectively.

After setting the pawl 38, rotation of handle part 1.2 is imparted tonose unit 62 by drive screw 108 that is attached to skirt 68 and theinner extremity of handle part 12. Centering and locking pins 50 and 52drivingly connect part 46 with the nose unit 62 and the rotary motion istransmitted through the pawl 38 to shaft 30. Shaft 30 is drivinglyconnected with the detachable tool holder 110 located in passage 64 andconnected by key 112 to the extremity of shaft 30. The key 112 is in akeyway 114 of shaft 30. Tool holder 110 has a tool supporting bore 118within which typical tool 120 is located and held by set-screw 112(FIGURE An annular undercut 124 at the outer extremity of tool holder110 is used to retain the tool holder in the passage 64 but enable thetool holder to be rotated, by any suitable retaining latch such asspring latch 126. This spring latch is mounted on a pivot 128 beneathnose covering 130 and is pressed by spring 132 to the tool holderengaging position. The spring is located in a bore 134 in the nose pieceand is concentrically mounted around centering pin 136 on latch 126.

It is evident that upon release of latch 126, the tool holder may beslid from passage 64 very easily so that the tool 120 may be removed andreplaced by a tool of a different size or of a different nature.

The forgeoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A tool holder comprising a nose section having a rear annular skirtprovided with a longitudinal slot, said skirt being attached to a frontend of a handle for rotation by said handle, said nose section alsohaving a central front passage therein communicating with a cavityformed by the skirt, a collar in said cavity, means connecting said nosesection to said collar for rotation of said collar by said nose section,a ratchet shaft journaled in said collar and passage, a ratchet pawlpivoted on said collar for engaging and rotating said ratchet shaft inresponse to rotation of said collar and being swingabl on its pivot intoopposite positions for rotating said shaft in opposite directionsrespectively, a second collar adapted for rotation on a handle andhaving a front skirt portion rotatable on said rear skirt of the nosesection, means operatively connecting the skirt portion of the secondcollar to said pawl through said slot to swing said pawl in oppositedirections in response to rotation of said second collar in oppositedirections respectively, a tool retainer journaled in said passage infront of said ratchet shaft, and means drivingly connecting said ratchetshaft to said tool retainer for rotation by said ratchet shaft.

2. A tool holder according to claim 1, said means connecting said nosesection to said first-named collar comprising pins on said first-namedcollar extending into bores in said nose section.

3. A tool holder according to claim 1, said first-named collar defininga cavity in one side thereof in which said ratchet pawl is pivoted forswinging clear of said nose section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS176,811 Richards May 2, 1876 228,827 Mell June 15, 1880 371,068 Hopkinset al. Oct. 4, 1887 390,516 Pedersen Oct. 2, 1888 814,020 Clifford Mar.6, 1906 814,528 Furbish Mar. 6, 1906 895,713 Andersen Aug. 11, 1908977,957 Leopold Dec. 6, 1910 1,503,047 Hendrickson July 29, 19241,562,862 Bodmer Nov. 24, 1925 1,991,766 Matveyeff Feb. 19, 19352,138,331 Ward Nov. 29, 1938 2,720,296 Briglia Oct. 11, 1955 2,734,413Dunkelberger Feb. 14, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 647,869 Great Britain Dec.20, 1950

